(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Democrats in the Senate expedited Monday the swearing-in of former Rep. and Sen.-elect Adam Schiff, an unusual move made weeks ahead of schedule and amid speculation about a potential presidential pardon.
Schiff’s swearing-in followed his nomination by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to complete the late Senator Dianne Feinstein’s term. Newsom had previously appointed Laphonza Butler to serve temporarily after Feinstein’s passing.
Butler resigned the seat less than a month before the term’s expiration, paving the way for Schiff to step in. Newsom claimed that appointing Schiff would “ensure Californians have their duly elected representative seated as soon as possible.”
The timing comes just days after reports revealed that President Joe Biden’s White House had considered a preemptive pardon for Schiff covering offenses committed during his tenure as congressman and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
In that role, Schiff played a key role in years of baseless investigations into Trump, including the controversial and discredited Jan. 6 committee.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve all Californians as their next United States Senator,” Schiff wrote in a thread shared on X.
My family came to the Golden State when I was a child in the hope of finding a strong economy, safe neighborhoods, and good schools.
And we found all that we could hope for in each of these respects.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) December 9, 2024
For his part, Newsom praised both Schiff and his predecessor, Butler, in a press statement: “Thank you, Senator Butler, for your dedication and service and for honoring the life and legacy of the late Dianne Feinstein, a legacy I’m confident Senator-elect Schiff will also carry forward.”
Meanwhile, Andy Kim, a former congressman who ran to replace Sen. Bob Menendez, was also sworn in Monday.
Kim succeeded George Helmy, who had been appointed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to finish Menendez’s term after his resignation. Menendez stepped down in disgrace following his conviction on federal fraud and foreign agent charges.
“It’s an honor to get to represent the state that gave my family a chance at the American Dream in the U.S. Senate,” Kim said in a press statement.
I just took the oath to become a U.S. Senator. I’m overwhelmed by this chance to serve at a moment of profound anxiety about what comes next for our nation. I promise I won’t lose myself along the way. I won’t let the job change me, instead I will work to change the job. THREAD pic.twitter.com/BlMOMIJQKQ
— Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) December 9, 2024
Kim and Schiff, elected in November, are expected to serve six-year terms and will be officially sworn in again in January when their full terms begin.
